Friction-hinge



(No Medel.) e

J. BERKEY.

FRIGTION HINGE.

No. 413,891. Peteneed oet. 29, 1839.

e"immuun" e l hinges detached and seen as in Fig. 1.

of the apparatus is such that the friction of lis i UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

` JULIUS BERKEY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FRlcTloN-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,891,1dated October 29, 1889.

.To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JULrUs BEEKEY, a resident of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements `in Friction- Hinges; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and v exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the' art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in friction-hinges for mirrors, transom-sash, and similar objects, and is fully described and claimed in this specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-d Figure 1 shows in elevation a mirror provided with hinges embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows on a larger scale one of the Fig. 3 is a similar view ofthe hinge with the outer plates detached. Fig. 45 is a section on the line of Fig. 2.

The hinge consists of a short pintle-rod whose ends are clamped, respectively, between two plates upon the mirror-frame and two like plates upon the supports between which the mirror-frame swings. The construction the plates upon the pintles may be varied at will, and such that the pintle cannot escape longitudinally or otherwise, even if all friction be removed.

In the drawings, A is `any ordinary mirror, and B B are supports between which it is pivotally mounted vto swing about a horizontal axis. One hinge is of course employed upon each side of the mirror, and each hinge consists of four identically similar plates C of circular outline and a pintle-rod D. The plates may be cast, but are preferably stamped from sheet metal. Around the margin of each plate upon one face is an annular groove E, and upon the same face is a diametrical groove F, whose cross-section is circular, but which is slightly less than half a cylinder, having the diameter of the rod D. This diametrical groove extends from one margin of the plate to the annular groove upon the opposite side, but does not cross its outer wall. All the plates are provided with screw-holes G, that register when the grooved faces of two Application filed November 28, 1888. Renewed lSeptember 30, 1889. Serial No. 325,468. (No model.)

plates are brought together. The rod D is of a length equal to twice the length of the diametrical groove plus the distance between the mirror-frame'A and the adjacent support B, but it may be a little less without detriment to thedevice. Now, if the grooved faces of two pairs of the plates be brought together, with the rod between them in the diametrical grooves, as indicated in Fig. 2, and if one pair of the plates be screwed to the frame and the `other to the support, as in Fig. l, the hinge is in operative position. When in such position, the outer walls of the marginal grooves prevent the pintle D from slipping longitudinally outward in either direction, thereby keeping the mirror-frame equally distant from the standard, and consequently avoiding the necessity for washers between the frame and standards. As the diametrical grooves are each less than half-cylinders, the two plates cannot quite meet when the vrod is in place, and any desired friction can therefore be produced by turning the screws G, by which the plates are secured to the frame and supports. The outer groove serves the further purpose, when stamped in sheet metal, of producing a stiffening-rib around the margin of the plate and of protecting the screwheads, which, even when not countersunk, fall entirely within the plane of the rib. As shown, the wood is cut away to receive the under plate of each pair. if desired, be cut to such a depth that both plates of each pair are within the plane of the woods surface, or all cutting may be dispensed with, the plates being screwed upon the normal surface. It is a convenience in manufacture to use a plain rod D, held by identical plates at each end; but evidently the main purpose of producing such friction as may cause the mirror to remain at any angle where it is left may be accomplished by the two plates at one end of the rod without reference to the means for holding the other end. It is also apparent that it is not necessary to always use the two plates in order to produce the necessary friction for holding the mirror or transom at any desired angle.

While it is preferableto use both plates the under one can be dispensed with and substantially the same result accomplished by ssl lt may, f

IOO

using in its stead a plate having a groove or channel corresponding to the diametrieal groove or channel in the upper plate, or the lower or under plate might be dispensed with altogether, if the hinge is used upon any of the hard woods, by forininga similar groove or channel in the wood. The essential features in my invention are, however, the oonstruetion of a friction-hinge in which the upper and lower plates have concave bearings for the pintle, and are also provided with annular grooves which serve as stiiening-ribs and to retain the pintle.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the mirror-frame and 1nirror-supports, of a pintle and two slightly-separated superposed plates provided with registering grooves adapted to receive the end of the pintle, whereby a uniform frietional bearing is formed for nearly the entire surface of the end of the pintle, and means for clamping the plates upon the pintle, whereby rotation upon the pintle may be resisted by any desired friction.

2. The combination, with a hinge-pintle, of two plates provided with diametrieal registering grooves for the pintle and having an annular groove whieh serves as a stieningrib and a keeper for the pintle. A

3. The combination, with the plates C, arranged in pairs, provided with registering i screw-holes G and each having the marginal groove E and the diametrical groove F, of the pintle-rod D, lying between the plates in the groove F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two sub'scrib' ingwitnesses. i

J ULIUS' BERKEY.

"itnessesz WALLACE GREENE, SCHUYLER DURYEE. 

